1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to automated systems and methods for processing medical data to support employment determinations.
2. Description of the Related Art
Corporations, government agencies, and other employers often require the gathering and evaluation of medical information to support employment determinations. For example, such employers may require employment screening procedures, periodic employment evaluations, evaluations of an employee's or potential employee's fitness for particular tasks, combination of the same and the like. Typically, such screening procedures (or “screenings”) revolve around a triggering event, such as, an application for work, a certain period of employment, a set date on which employees are tested, an event that occurs with respect to the employee's workplace (e.g., a spike in radioactivity at a power plant), the results of a primary test (e.g., an employee or a relative discovers that he or she has cancer) and the like.
In order to evaluate the medical suitability of an applicant during a particular screening process, certain medical information is typically required. Medical information requirements are typically established by the employer responsible for the determination and are used by the employer to generate a specific suitability evaluation based upon the interpretation of that medical evidence. The requirements are specified by rules developed by the corporation, government agency or other employer, pertinent case law, government regulations, legislation and administrative decisions, and so forth. For example, the requirements may specify that if an applicant is applying for a particular form of employment, a medical provider must conduct certain physical examinations and laboratory tests on the applicant or ask certain questions. Requirements can also be specified by conventional medical knowledge, such as, for example, requiring a certain test to confirm a particular condition.
The requirements may be documented in a variety of formats, such as in manuals, databases, or other media. The collection of corporate rules, administrative decisions, pertinent legislation and case law governing employment is herein referred to as a “rules collection” governing employment. The rules collection typically specifies a capability, or lack of restriction, for the applicant to be acceptable to undertake or continue in a particular form of employment. It may, or may not, delineate a particular medical procedure that should be used to gather medical information needed for the determination.
In an evaluation process, the applicant typically visits a hospital, clinic or medical office. A medical provider such as a physician or a nurse collects medical evidence from the applicant to support an employment determination. The employment determination is typically made by personnel employed by the corporation, government agency or other employer based on the medical information collected by the medical provider and based on the rules collection. These personnel, referred to hereinafter as program administrative personnel, often support the employer in an administrative capacity and are often human resources personnel.
The medical providers often are not familiar with the rules collection relevant to the employment determination and may not collect the correct information, or may collect insufficient information, for making the determination. Therefore, the required medical information can be omitted and/or entered incorrectly, thus preventing a fast, accurate employment determination. In addition, the program administrative personnel, who typically have only limited medical knowledge, must spend considerable time reviewing the medical information collected by the medical providers.